Saturday, April 7, 2012

Never Let Your Fire Go Out: A Celebration of Survival

By Karl Bremer

The healing power of music and friends was out in full force
at Wilebski’s Blues Saloon in St. Paul
March 25. Between 400 and 500 people came through the doors over the course of
a day jammed with some of Minnesota’s
finest musicians and songwriters. They were there to help keep me alive.

I never set out writing this blog as a CaringBridge kind of thing, but things
don’t always work out as planned. So rather than the usual steady diet of slings
and arrows at local political miscreants, investigations into fraudsters trying
to buy votes, pardons or legitimacy, or occasional forays through musical doors,
today you get another Update from the Cancer Desk.

First, the medical lowdown. A CT scan several weeks ago
showed the tumors on my liver had shrunk since chemotherapy had begun (the
tumors have metastasized from the pancreas to the liver, thus the “Stage 4”
diagnosis), which was a good sign. Another scan next week will determine the
future course of treatment after the eighth of 12 planned chemo sessions. That
could include surgery and/or radiation. Stay tuned.

Now for the fun stuff. Yes, there is an up side to getting
cancer. In this case, it came through the love and dedication of the Krewe of
DADs, a whole gang of great musicians and hundreds of friends. I’m a founding
member of the Krewe of DADs, which modeled itself after New Orleans’ notorious
Krewe of MOMs, a rogue Krewe among the Crescent City’s elite other Mardi Gras
Krewes that ultimately coalesced around the New Orleans-based Radiators. The
Krewe of DADs adopted Halloween as their annual celebration of music featuring
the Radiators and we’ve hosted our own Halloween masquerade balls on this end
of the Mississippi River for a quarter century. All but
last year’s featured the Radiators, but after they disbanded in June 2011, the
New Orleans Suspects, a new group formed by Radiators bassist Reggie Scanlan,
ably filled the bill.

Besides helping with the Krewe’s regular musical events that
brought in some amazing talent to the TwinCities and surrounding farms and
living rooms over the years, I initiated Krewe of DADs fundraisers for
post-Katrina musicians in Louisiana
and for another Krewe member and cancer survivor, Minneapolis
artist Johnny Hanson. In a show of the old saw “what goes around, comes around,”
the Krewe of DADs put together a musical extravaganza and silent auction
fun(d)raiser for me at Wilebski’s Blues Saloon March 25 that featured some of the
same gracious talent that always seems to be there when you need them:

In an ironic twist of fate, Reggie Scanlan had to cancel his
trip up from New Orleans to play. Instead,
he had exploratory surgery for pancreatic cancer that week, for which he was
diagnosed two weeks before. Fortunately, it appears treatable and his recovery
period mercifully short.

Friends came from near and far, some I hadn’t seen in 30
years or more, to help take the sting out of losing a year or more of fulltime
work and good health. It did that and more. It was kind of like getting a snapshot
of your future through the lens of your past. Or an episode of“This Is Your Life.” Seven hours of pure
positive energy permeated the room on Rice Street,
and I didn’t miss a minute of it.

In situations like this, you’ve got to treat the mind as
well as the body. Thanks to all who organized, attended, performed, donated, publicized or
otherwise participated in this celebration of survival. I promise a good return on your investment.

It is good to see celebration of music Survival and happy to watch this video of Minnesota’s finest musicians and songwriters. And “This Is Your Life” get another Update from the Cancer Desk and served pure positive energy through a video in which should be important for cancer students to whom I am helping for complete their finance assignment writing service UK as a part of my profession at Quality Assignment. Professionally I am Assignment writer & tutor, thus I have been in this profession since last 5 years and having expertise in offering best quality assignment writing services to students which they really need to gain high scores in exam.

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Ripple in Stillwater

Ripple in Stillwater is the sole creation of Stillwater, Minnesota, writer Karl Bremer. It covers whatever captures the author's muse at the moment. You can reach Ripple in Stillwater at saintcroix-at-aol-dot-com, or you can follow me on Twitter @kdbremer. If you're wondering about the name of this blog, go here.

Minnesota Society of Professional Journalists 2011 Page One Award Winner

Ripple in Stillwater author Karl Bremer won Second Place in the Minnesota Society of Professional Journalists 2011 Page One Awards for "Best Use of Public Records."

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